The present disclosure relates to an electric switch, in particular for an electric power tool, in particular a hammer drill or a chipping hammer, which electric switch comprises a first switching device and a second switching device, wherein the first switching device can be adjusted by means of adjusting a first mechanical signal means from a first switching mode into a second switching mode. The present disclosure further relates to an electric power tool having an electric switch in accordance with the disclosure.
It is known for electric power tools, in particular for hammer drills or chipping hammers, to damp vibrations in the hand grip by means of providing an elastic element between the hand grip and the tool housing of the electric power tool. Hand grips of this type are also described as anti-vibration hand grips. The elastic element enables the hand grip to move relative to the tool housing in a horizontal and/or vertical direction. An electric power tool having an elastic element of this type is disclosed in WO 2008/000543 A1.
DE 10 2008 041 511 A1 illustrates a handheld power tool that comprises an electric switch and a mechanical adjusting device that is arranged on the electric switch and is embodied in this case as a rocker switch. The electric switch can be actuated by means of the rocker switch. The rocker switch can be locked in an operating mode of the machine by means of a locking device. In the case of hammer drills, in order to increase the level of comfort for the user, the rocker switch is for example frequently locked in the “chipping operation”, so that the operator does not need to constantly hold down the switch in this operating mode. However, the rocker switch cannot be locked in the “drilling” or “hammer drill operation”, so that the electric power tool can be switched off as quickly as possible by the operator in the event of the drill tilting and said drill cannot rotate in an uncontrolled manner and consequently it cannot therefore injure the operator.
However, it is extremely difficult to implement the locking function in the case of anti-vibration hand grips since an operating mode switch is conventionally arranged on the tool housing and a relative movement of several millimeters can occur between the hand grip housing and the tool housing. In addition, a locking of this type requires a mechanical deflection between the operating mode switch and the locking action of the rocker switch. Furthermore, an on/off switch of this type requires a considerable amount of installation space and the higher the power rating of the electric power tool, the greater the installation space.
DE 100 34 768 A1 discloses for example a high-performance hammer drill, wherein the operating mode switch is rigidly coupled to a locking device for a switching latch. However, this rigid coupling arrangement does not allow the hand grip housing to be fully decoupled from the tool housing with regard to the vibrations of a tool housing of the electric power tool. In addition, the lever mechanism required for coupling the locking device to the operating mode switch requires considerable installation space. Furthermore, the locking device is also not dustproof.